Practice Round
by pipecleanerFlowers
Summary: Tensions are running high as the final match rounds the corner. Tala's practicing. Kai interrupts. They need to win. Takes place during G-Revolution, after the Blitzkrieg Boys defeat White Tiger X.


The pressure was on. They'd already decided who'd be leading in the next – no, the _final –_ match against the BBA Revolutions. Tala was going to start off and beat Daichi like planned. There was no doubt he'd be facing that kid. After all, everyone liked saving the best for last, and Tala had his suspicions about the previous match with that team. Kai had blew it, but he'd done so on purpose. There was no way he could have made such an amateur mistake otherwise.

It would be the resolution to what they both wanted, and Tala wasn't about to mess it up.

When Tala got to the BBA training facilities, it was completely empty. Six in the morning was always a slow time, and he had no doubt that the others were merely trying to get a good night's sleep. Everyone was tense.

Tala locked his beyblade into its launcher, centering himself for practice. Closing his eyes, he started the countdown.

"What are you doing here so early?"

Tala's eyes snapped toward the door he'd only just entered through. "I could ask the same to you, Kai."

"You nervous?"

"Tch, no."

A moment passed, then another. "So, aren't you gonna launch?" Kai was leaning against the doorframe now, arms crossed and eyes closed.

Tala scowled. It was unnerving having him around, but he'd just have to deal. After all, nothing was going to stop him from beating Daichi in the Finals. Not even Kai.

"Why don't we do a practice round," Tala offered, hands on his hips. "After all, you're obviously not here for nothing." A ghost of a smirk appeared on Kai's face, and Tala grinned. "Let's go."

"It's your 'blade's funeral."

They both took their places on opposite ends of the dish, and Tala couldn't help but think it was dangerously tense in the room. The atmosphere shifted, no doubt because they hadn't practiced like this together in ages.

"You're not going to win," Kai said offhandedly.

"Overconfident, are we?"

"With reason."

White Tiger X. Just when Tala thought they were off of his mind, there they were, invading it again. During their practices, they probably cheered each other on. Not in his case. It had always been trash talk and beatdowns. Reverse-psychology was soon just like regular psychology, and competition forced them to become better. Tala shook the thought from his head. They had won, not White Tiger X. Obviously they had the better training strategy.

"3... 2... 1... Let it rip!"

They simultaneously launched their beyblades, the sound of metal on the dish echoing through the eerily quiet room. Their beyblades circled the dish, but Kai wasted no time and soon the clash of the beyblades vibrated the floor. Again and again, the Dranzer slowly bashed Wolborg up to the edge. At the last moment, Wolborg evaded. Dranzer teetered on the edge of the dish, but quickly used the height to gain momentum on the way down, getting ready for another attack.

"You're tough, but not tough enough," Tala said, though his voice was slightly strained with the pressure as he pushed back. "Wolborg, get him!"

Wolborg grinded circles around Dranzer, but to no avail. Soon his attack was let up. _Play it your way, I'll play mine. _Tala knew Kai played with brute force, but that wasn't his style. "You're not gonna change my game plan that easily." Endurance beyblades were better off lying low until the right time, so instead of keeping up the attack, Tala concentrated on evading. Luckily, Kai wasn't nearly as fast as Ray's Driger, so he didn't have to worry about being blind-sided.

"I wasn't planning on it," Kai said.

Tala looked up momentarily, only to see that Kai was hardly taxed at all.

"You're not full out."

"And I suppose you are?"

Tala smirked. "Alright then, let's try this again." Wolborg grazed Dranzer as it passed by, zig-zagging its way around the dish. Scraping by again, and again, and again, in the hopes of drawing some energy from Dranzer. _If I can weaken him like Max did, maybe I can hold up a bit longer._

"I didn't know you were a copycat," Kai said, recognizing the strategy.

"Only when it's beneficial."

"Hn."

"So, why are you up so early?"

"I asked first."

"Practice, you?"

"Same."

"Liar."

"Maybe."

Wolborg crashed against Dranzer, slowly pushing the blue beyblade back. "You're no fun."

"What did you expect?"

Tala shrugged. "At least you're talking to me."

The two beyblades circled the dish like predators, waiting to attack.

"You made a deal with Daichi," Kai finally said, never taking his eyes off of Dranzer.

"So?"

"You're practicing... for your grudge match."

"Maybe."

"You'll have to be better than this to beat him."

Tala blinked. What did he mean?

"Dranzer! Blazing Gigs!"

Oh, that.

"Wolborg, time to take him out! Novae Rog!"

Dranzer was hit, but just as Wolborg was teetering after its attack, it was hit too. The red feathers had trapped it, and its RPM was decreasing rapidly.

"Wolborg, full power!"

But before the beyblade could spring its gear system into action, Dranzer was back in the dish, hitting it with as many attacks as he could. One final crash, and Wolborg was out of the dish.

"Tch."

"That was too easy." Kai caught Dranzer and turned away, heading for the door. "Daichi knows your tricks and he knows your weak spot. You'll have to do better than that." With a swish of his scarf and the slam of the door, Kai was gone.

Tala frowned, looking back to his beyblade. "Doesn't he know that I'm the team captain? I don't need his help."

The competitive reverse-psychology was kicking in again, but the back of his mind told him that maybe he should listen. Maybe teamwork really did work. Tala shook his head. White Tiger X could take a hike. They weren't in the final round, so their teamwork was for naught. There was no way the Blitzkrieg Boys would lose.

... right?


End file.
